# Halo (1996 film)

Halo is a 1996 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Santosh Sivan and produced by Children's Film Society. It stars Benaf Dadachandji, Rajkumar Santoshi, Viju Khote, Mukesh Rishi, Tinnu Anand in lead roles. The film was released on 7 February 1996.

## Plot

The film starts with the school's nun-teacher (Mehr Vakil) being frustrated at the ringing of the school bell, which indicates the end of school and the start of summer vacation. The story then turns to Sasha (Benaf Dadachandji), a motherless child who yearns of a mother's love despite having Mr. Deshpande (Rajkumar Santoshi), her doting father who works as a criminal lawyer. Her friend Thomas (Kavin Dave) has gone to London to undergo a surgery.
During vacation, while all the other kids are busy playing, Sasha sits silently, not eating. So, a servant fabricates a story that a miracle will happen in form of a halo. A street dog comes along, and Sasha believes it to be the God-sent halo. She adopts it and names it Halo. Sasha's life now revolves around the dog. She sleeps, drinks, and eats with him. Her father doesn't object, even though he doesn't like dogs. Her father, through a Satyavadi and following the principles of Gandhiji, observes a fast. One day, Halo goes missing, and Sasha searches inside and outside for him but to no avail.
She first asks the police commissioner (Mukesh Rishi) who uses her for his own plan to capture a gang of notorious smugglers led by Smuggler Raja (Tinu Anand). However, the credit for capturing the smugglers goes to Sasha. She also gets help from Ranga (Wasim Khan), a leader of a group of street urchins.
Eventually, she finds Halo under the care of an old couple (Dr. B. M. Banerji and Mrs. Banerji) with their physically disabled grandson Abdul (Yazad Mohedji).
At the end of the movie, Sasha happily gives the dog to Abdul.

## Cast

* Benaf Dadachandji as Sasha Deshpande
* Bulang Raja as Anil
* Rajkumar Santoshi as Advocate Deshpande, Sasha's father
* Pooja Punjabi as Mamta
* Mukesh Rishi as Police Commissioner
* Tinu Anand as Smuggler Raja
* Harish Patel as Astrologer
* Mehr Vakil as Nun
* Dolly Chainani as Girl 1
* Tamana Gulrajani as Girl 2
* Vinita Chainani as Girl 3
* Supriya Pathak as Sasha's mother (in photograph)
* Chintu Mahapatra as Chintu
* Dimple Ghosh as Lata
* Mr. Punjabi as Doctor
* Poocha as Tiger
* Kavin Dave as Thomas
* Marukh Dadachandji as Thomas's mother
* Sahil Choujar as TV Host of BadBad talk show
* Anamika Ghosh as Videographer
* Dipankar De as Prabhu Deva
* Goldie Singh as Goldie
* Ajit as Tabla Player
* Ashok Narayan as Mr. Pappu, the 99-year-old man
* Halo (dog) as Halo
* Farookh Dadachandji as Veterinarian
* Bala (Nandlal) as Newspaper Editor
* Prakash Mahapatra as Assistant Newspaper Editor
* Sagar (actor) as Photographer
* Kanika Nandlal as Secretary
* Suhas Gujrathi as Office Boy
* Suresh Bhagwat as Dog Catcher
* Vijay Khote as Constable 1
* Anand as Constable 2
* Ajay Devgn as Constable 3
* Snehendra as Constable 4
* Abdulkayyam as Journalist
* Anil Sharma (director) as Smuggler 1
* Javed Khan (actor) as Washer Boy
* Babu as Ranga's Assistant
* Wasim Khan as Ranga
* Dr. B. M. Banerji as Old Man
* Mrs. Banerji as Old Woman
* Yazad Mobedji as Abdul
* Sajana Sivam as Kid in Riots

## Awards

* 1996: National Film Award for Best Children's Film
* 1996: National Film Award – Special Jury Award / Special Mention (Feature Film) – Benaf Dadachandji
* 2001: Filmfare Award for Best Film (Critics)

## Public viewing

Halo was first released on Children's Day in 1996 on Doordarshan.